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8 Signs You Are Emotionally Intelligent

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize your emotions, understand them, and apply them to the real world. Here are 8 basic signs that you are likely high in emotional intelligence. Now these aren’t supposed to be definitive, as everyone is different. These are just some common signs, and not a be all end all for emotional intelligence. So read on, but keep in mind that there is always more to something than what one short article can tell you.

You know what you’re good at, and what you’re not.

You know what your strengths are, and you know what your weaknesses are. You seem to have a good ability of being self-aware. Knowing your strengths doesn’t make you big-headed, and you aren’t afraid of your weaknesses.

The past and the future don’t control you.

Not everyone can let go of the past, and even less are not afraid of the future. You have this skill of being able to live life one day at a time, almost always being present in the moment. That’s not to say there aren’t some things you can’t let go of, and there will always be something around the corner that makes us worry. This doesn’t stop you from living your life where it is happening – right here in the present.

Understanding emotions is a second nature.

This is basically what emotional intelligence is. You are able to identify your own emotions, and those of others. It goes beyond this. You just get emotions the way a chemist just gets the elements. Because you have such a grasp on what emotions you are feeling, you are usually pretty good at controlling them, always keeping yourself in line.

You are good at maintaining balance.

A healthy individual with high emotional intelligence usually has a pretty good life balance. You know when to take a break from work, but you know when to work hard. Life is like a juggling act, and you seem to be pretty good at it.

You can forgive, even if you don’t want to.

Sometimes forgiveness is hard. We want to be mad, to hold grudges. Especially against the people who hurt us. But you can almost always find it in your heart to forgive someone, especially if they sincerely ask for it. You understand them, you get where they are coming from. Because you can put yourself into their shoes, so to speak, it can make it hard to stay mad, so forgiving is just in your nature.

You are curious.

Something else that is in your nature is a huge curiosity. You always are looking to understand things: the whys, the hows. You just want to know. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back – and that rings true for you.

You can adapt to most any situation.

Being that you are good with maintaining your emotions and a nice life balance, you’ve found that you are pretty good at handling whatever life throws at you. Your ability to be in the present allows you to adapt quickly when situations change, and your skill with other people allows you to generally diffuse tense situations.

You have a special way with people.

Most people are guided, on some level, by their emotions. Lucky for you, you have this deep understanding of those emotions. When you are able to recognize what emotions someone is feeling, it’s easier to get them to trust you. Because of this, people seem to flock to you for advice, or to just spill their hearts out. People can see that you just get what it is they are feeling, and because of this, you tend to have some level of influence over them.

Be warned, though, having these skills can make it really easy to manipulate people for your own gain. Knowing your way around the emotional battlefield gives you some power, and if you aren’t careful, power can corrupt. No one likes a manipulator, not in the long run at least. The path of selfish gain only ends in lonely despair. Realize your talents, and use them to better the world, little pieces at a time.